I was watching the Trains web cam this morning and I wounder why do trains just sit there and block the Diomonds all day? And not only that, The grade crossings in rochelle,Ill got blocked too.
Not sure which Rochelle diamond you’re watching, but I rarely see trains at all during my catch-as-catch-can visits to the site. More likely to see an MOW crew grinding…
I’ve heard it said hereabouts that crews are not above “holding” the diamond for another movement on the other track, especially if they know there is another movement that would stick the other crew.
I always see trains crossing the Diomonds on the web cam even though the thing is slow!
It’s the Rochelle, Illinois cam.
Are you talking about the UP trains?
yes!
once NS gets clearance from “F” tower in fostoria it usually runs 2 trains at once across the diamonds because they dont want CSX to hold them up.
stay safe
Joe
I have noticed that particularly the Clinton, Iowa bound trains. Sometimes they just sit there for several minutes, even the intermodals. Is there a manual switch or a set of signals up a head?
I have frequently seen MOW crews grinding rails on the diamonds when there for a visit. Are the diamonds really that much damaged by the frequent trains or is there another reason? Seems like a lot of work to do. Comments?
I knew that - I just rarely catch a train there, or at either of the other two cams I check from time to time. [:D]
There has been discussion about speeding up the feed, but that takes bandwidth, which costs money. Lots.
railfan,
Usually you will see trains “blocking” the diamond because they helping to ensure their partners coming in the opposite direction get the signal. UP and BNSF both are guilty of this. I saw UP get about six of theirs through this way about a week ago while BNSF was locked up in both directions.
Shrek
There was another thread here in the forum about diamonds that it was said that the frogs are subject to quite a pounding and that speeds are usually limited to 30-40 mph because of this, and that the frogs do require maintenance quite often and that they are made of a metal that is especially hard.
I strongly suspect that the Global 3 intermodal facility, not too far west of the diamonds, is responsible for trains fouling the crossing on many occasions. It wasn’t a stack train that you saw, was it?
Yes it is usually the ones with the stacks; particularly the ones with a ton of domestic containers on them.
who is responsible for maintaining the diamonds?
dd
If im correct,Both UP & BNSF are…I think!
It’s hard to tell who is maintaining from the webcam because both companies use white MOW trucks
dd
From my limited experience working out there recently, it is mostly UP working on the diamond but I know BNSF does also.